list.co.uk/comedy PREVIEWS | COMEDY
STAND-UP PAUL MCCAFFREY The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 26 Mar; Glee Club, Glasgow, Wed 27 Mar
Some might say that Paul McCaffrey has earned his stripes and deserves a proper shot in the comedy limelight. Having supported the likes of Sean Lock and Kevin Bridges in recent times, the popular Mancunian stand-up is launching into his own first proper national tour. ‘A lot of my recent stuff has been around the difficulty of adapting to my 40s,’ he says. ‘I wouldn’t
say that I’m growing old disgracefully, but there’s certainly an arrested development there which is quite common with my peer group. People who were around during rave and Britpop are perhaps doing adulthood in a slightly different way to how it was previously done by other generations. It feels as though there’s this desire to continue having a good time even if the body might not be up for that.’ With I Thought I'd Have Grown Out of This By Now, he’ll be delivering a compilation of his best bits
to date merged with a version of his acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe show, Pills, Thrills and Bellylaughs. That set centred on the story of him going to a music festival with some friends, 20 years after their last visit to such an event. ‘I definitely used to look a lot younger than my age. Up to my mid-30s, every time I’d tell someone how old I was, they’d never believe me, but more recently that stopped happening. I used to be quite good at sleeping, but all that has stopped. That’s not comedy, it’s just facts.’ (Brian Donaldson)
VARIETY ELAINE C SMITH King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 15 Mar
Elaine C Smith may now have reached her 60s, but her recent workload tells you that she has little intention of slowing down. She’s done panto, played Miss Hannigan in Annie, appeared in BBC sitcom Two Doors Down (for which she picked up a Scottish BAFTA in November) and filmed a Spanish movie entitled I Love My Mum. Add to that her various charitable work and political activism, and you have someone who is constantly on the move.
As she prepares to bring songs, laughs and stories to the Glasgow Comedy Festival, she does admit to still feeling a little touch of nerves. ‘When you’re 22, it’s about being loved by everyone. When you’re my age now, it’s because you just want to do a good job. You don’t want them walking away and saying “I thought she’d be funnier than that”. But if you know your material, and you’ve got your timing right and you’re rehearsed, then it’ll all be fine.’
As her King’s date looms, she has a fair idea what her audience will be expecting. ‘I’ve been doing a routine for over 20 years about popular song and women, and why we’re off our heads: I’m always amazed at the number of people who ask me to do that bit again. I always know how to begin and where the end is, but it’s about knowing when to do the politics and where I should put the Mary Nesbitt stuff.’ (Brian Donaldson)
EDINBURGH’S FRESHEST VENUE FOR COMEDY THEATRE & MUSIC
‘MON DOON! GILDED BALLOON BASEMENT | 204 ROSE STREET | EH2 4AZ #GBBASEMENT | GILDEDBALLOON.CO.UK | 0131 622 6552
1 Feb–31 Mar 2019 THE LIST 61